The present invention relates generally to an alarm system for reminding an individual of scheduled events and appointments.
More particularly, this invention pertains to an alarm system to help remind individuals suffering from memory related diseases.
Systems for reminding individuals of scheduled events are well known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,831,568 discloses a personal digital assistant (PDA) which inserts into a cradle. The personal digital assistant is utilized to store certain scheduling information. At the time of the scheduled event the cradle contains a simple alarm which provides a visual blinking signal in addition to a typical alarm sound signal, such as a buzzing sound.
Another prior art embodiment, U.S. Pat. No. 5,088,056, contains a control program including a program timer which determines the time when dosages of medication are to be taken from a pillbox. Upon reaching the scheduled time, a simple alarm is rung in order to remind the individual to take a particular medication.
None of the prior art systems, however, teaches a system which actually communicates a message to the user about a particular appointment or medical event. All of the prior art systems simply contain simple alarms which send blinking signals or buzzing sounds or do not contain a separate device such as a docking unit dedicated to the communication of the message to the patient. Particularly, no device utilizes a digital scheduling unit, such as a personal digital assistant to assist a dementia patient with medical appointments and medical events.
What is needed, then, is a system which contains a unit for the communication of messages to a dementia patient. In this manner, the capabilities of a digital scheduling unit, such as a PDA, can be maximized to assist persons suffering from memory diseases.